Arsenal have equalled a club by beating Crystal Palace 5-0 in the Premier League this lunchtime.
The emphatic win sees them equal the record for their largest-ever London derby victory in the Premier League.
Only once before had they beaten a fellow London club by such a scoreline, when they thrashed Wimbledon 5-0 back in 1998.
That win came late in the 1997-98 season, where Arsenal would go on to win the Premier League title by one point ahead of Manchester United.
This time around, the victory was also extremely important, as it keeps the Gunners within reach of Liverpool at the top.
Ahead of Liverpool's trip to Bournemouth on Sunday, the win moves Mikel Arteta's side to within just two points of the Premier League summit, as they remain third, behind Manchester City on goal difference.
It was the Gabriel Magalhaes show in the first half at the Emirates Stadium, as the central defender opened the scoring, before seeing his second goal eventually be awarded as a Dean Henderson own goal.
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Palace were punished ruthlessly for opening up slightly in the second half, as three clinical counter attacks allowed Leandro Trossard to make it 3-0, before Gabriel Martinelli netted twice in stoppage time off the bench.
There was still no goal for under-fire striker Gabriel Jesus, but he did provide a fine assist for Trossard's well-taken strike in the second half in an all-round perfect day for Arsenal.
After four games without a win at home to the Eagles, Arsenal have now recorded back-to-back wins against Palace at the Emirates by an aggregate score of 9-1.
It also completes a league double for Arsenal over Palace, after beating Roy Hodgson's side 1-0 at Selhurst Park on the second weekend of the season.
London derbies had proven difficult for Arsenal so far this season though, following home draws to Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, before losing to West Ham United in their final home game in 2023.
Fulham also beat them on New Year's Eve, and West Ham knocked them out of the EFL Cup, but the Gunners have a chance to make amends when they go to the London Stadium in early February.
Andrew Delaney
